‘Super 8′ Secrets Revealed in Viral Video

There must be a large sector of the moviegoing public that still doesn’t know exactly what J.J. Abrams’ Super 8 is all about. Chalk that up to a marketing campaign full of trailers, clips and TV spots that were so cloaked in mystery they forgot to show off enough to entice those who don’t go giddy over the mere mention of the names J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg.

Well, if you’re confused about what Super 8is all about, or whether or not this movie is worth seeing, then Paramount and J.J. Abrams are trying to help sway you to their side with some juicy reveals about the movie’s central mystery.

Having seen Super 8 myself (read our Super 8 Official Review), I can tell you that the film is a pretty good mix of sci-fi and old-school kid adventure flicks like The Goonies. If you want to know what the “sci-fi” aspect of the movie is all about, you need only watch the viral video below, which mimics old footage shot at a secret government facility.

HOWEVER – if you are already onboard to see this flick, and want to remain in the dark about the plot and mysteries, then stop reading now.

MAJOR SUPER 8 SPOILERS BELOW!!!!!

Let me be upfront with you sci-fi fans: This whole captive alien “mystery” is simply a backdrop for the story of Super 8. Yes, there is a creature on the loose in a small Ohio town, but the movie is not really telling that particular story. At its core, Super 8 is about a kid (newcomer actor Joel Courtney) trying to get over a trauma in his life and repair his relationship with his dad (Friday Night Lights star Kyle Chandler). Meeting a girl (Elle Fanning, Dakota Fanning’s sister) and dealing with an extraterrestrial on the loose are simply the means by which the kid is able to make himself whole again. Kind of a freaky-but-sweet mix of thrills and coming-of-age drama.

So there you have it, that’s what Super 8 is all about. For all the complaints people make about trailers that show off too much, it seems as though trying to market a movie with an aura of mystery surrounding it can be just as problematic. Alfred Hitchcock would not approve.

Now that you know, it’s up to you decide if you want to be in attendance when Super 8 opens in theaters tomorrow, June 10, 2011.